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Warner Bros. Studio London

Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross Station

Included with some Warner Bros. Studio London tickets

Timings

RECOMMENDED DURATION

5 hours

Hogwarts Express train at Harry Potter™ Warner Bros. Studio Tour, London.

King’s Cross Station is the legendary gateway to the Wizarding World, where students board the Hogwarts Express. Located in central London, it is a must-visit for any Harry Potter fan.

The magic of King’s Cross Station

At this bustling terminal, fiction meets reality. While it serves thousands of commuters daily, fans flock here to see the famous Platform 9¾ trolley and the dedicated Harry Potter Shop, which recreates the atmosphere of the beloved film series.

How to enter King’s Cross Station?

The Harry Potter features are located in the Western Departure Concourse of King’s Cross Station. Unlike the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, you do not need a ticket to enter this area of the station.

Access to the trolley photo spot and the shop is free and open to the public. However, if you wish to see the actual platforms (4 and 5) used during filming, you would need a valid train ticket to pass through the station barriers.

Things to know before visiting King’s Cross Station

While the station is free to enter, there are important details to keep in mind for the best experience.

  • Exclusive experience: While this is a public spot, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London offers the exclusive opportunity to see the original film set, including the actual Hogwarts Express train. You can book your Studio Tour tickets here to see the full production scale.
  • Queue times: The trolley photo line can be long, often exceeding 1 hour during midday or school holidays. Arrive before 9am to beat the rush.
  • Timing: The station is open 24/7, but the Harry Potter Shop and the official trolley photo service typically operate from 8am to 10pm (Mon–Sat) and 9am to 9pm (Sun).

King’s Cross Station in a nutshell

Platform 9 ¾ set at Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo, featuring luggage carts against a brick wall.

This site marks the transition from the Muggle world to the magical realm. While the books place the platform between tracks 9 and 10, the station has created a dedicated commemorative area for fans to celebrate the series.

  • Must-see highlights: The disappearing luggage trolley embedded in the brick wall and the Ollivanders-style Harry Potter Shop.
  • Unique facts: In the films, Platforms 4 and 5 were actually used for filming because they were more photogenic than the real Platforms 9 and 10.

What to see at King’s Cross Station?

The trolley at Platform 9¾

Located near the shop, this is the ultimate photo op. A luggage trolley is halfway through the wall, complete with trunk and owl cage. Staff provide house scarves that fly in the wind for your photo.

Know more

Harry Potter shop

This boutique is designed to look like a magical emporium. It stocks everything from personalised wands and house robes to exclusive King’s Cross stationery and Platform 9¾ apparel.

The architecture

Look up at the Victorian arched roof. This distinctive engineering is what gave the early films their grand, atmospheric London departure feel.

Historical significance of the station

King’s Cross has been a London landmark since 1852, but its global fame skyrocketed with J.K. Rowling’s series. The author chose this station because her parents met on a train travelling from King's Cross. It symbolises the start of every adventure in the Wizarding World, representing the threshold between the ordinary and the extraordinary.

Architectural highlights of King's Cross

King's Cross Station facade with clock tower, London, bustling with people.
  • The Western Range: Designed by Lewis Cubitt, the station's simple, functional brick facade was a departure from the ornate styles of the time.
  • St. Pancras Extension: While not part of King's Cross itself, the neo-Gothic St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel next door was used as the exterior of the station in the films because it looked more magical than the real King's Cross exterior. 

Harry Potter filming at King’s Cross Station

King’s Cross Station features in several Harry Potter films, but not exactly as shown in the books. Due to platform design, early scenes with the Hogwarts Express were filmed between platforms 4 and 5. The station’s arched roof and busy concourse appear briefly, but the exterior scenes in Chamber of Secrets were filmed outside St Pancras, chosen for its more dramatic architecture. The full Platform 9¾ set, including the train and platform, was later built inside Warner Bros. Studio for more controlled filming conditions.

Recreation of King’s Cross Station at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London 

Hogwarts Express sign at Platform 9 ¾, Harry Potter attraction.

The King’s Cross section of the Studio Tour features the full Platform 9¾ set used in the later Harry Potter films. Built for filming at Leavesden Studios, it includes the life-sized Hogwarts Express and accurate replicas of key props. While King’s Cross Station appears briefly in early movies, most scenes were recreated on this set, allowing for detailed and consistent production throughout the series. You can walk through the carriages and take photos, offering a different experience from the real-life location.

Know before you go

  • Location: Euston Rd, London N1 9AL.
  • How to get there: Use the London Underground (Northern, Victoria, Piccadilly, Circle, Hammersmith & City, and Metropolitan lines).

If the station is too busy, head next door to St. Pancras to see the spot where the Flying Ford Anglia took off.

Tips for Potterheads visiting King’s Cross Station

  • If you want a professional photo at the trolley wall, arrive before 9am. Staff usually appear by then, and queues are shorter before the shop fully opens.
  • The queue for the trolley photo operates separately from general station crowds, so don’t worry about navigating through busy train traffic. It’s tucked to the side near the Harry Potter Shop.
  • There are house scarves available at the photo spot for free use during your turn. You do not need to bring your own or buy one in advance.
  • If you’re planning to visit the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London the same day, aim to visit King’s Cross early or after the tour to avoid time pressure and crowds.
  • The station has free public toilets, but they’re not near the trolley photo zone. Use the ones by the main concourse before queueing to avoid losing your spot.
  • Google Maps may show the Harry Potter trolley spot as inside the ticketed platform area. It’s actually in the open concourse near the Harry Potter shop, free to access.

Nearby Harry Potter film spots

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel

Distance: 50 m from the station

Used as the exterior for King’s Cross Station in Chamber of Secrets, this Victorian hotel appears in the scene where the Weasleys’ flying car takes off. Its grand Gothic architecture provided a more cinematic backdrop than the actual station.

Australia House

Distance: 2.8 km from the station

The interior of Australia House on the Strand served as the filming location for Gringotts Wizarding Bank in the first film. Its marble columns, chandeliers, and ornate detailing were used for scenes inside the goblin-run wizarding bank.

Reptile House

Distance: 2.8 km from the station

Located in the London Zoo, the Reptile House is where Harry first speaks Parseltongue in Philosopher’s Stone. The scene was filmed next to the enclosure of a black mamba, though a Burmese python is featured in the story.

Frequently asked questions about King’s Cross Station

No, the trolley is located in the public concourse and is free to visit.